“All you need is a screwdriver, a glue gun and a space that you want to divide.”

All the rage in the 1950s and '60s, sliding doors are making a comeback, Jacobs said, especially in areas where real estate is pricey. In fact, Jacobs said, some of his best clients are expectant parents looking to maximize space in their postage-stamp-size New York apartments.

“If you need to create a new room, like a nursery, or want to add a space without doing construction, sliding doors offer you options at a lower cost than renovations,” Jacobs said.

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“Part of the attraction for Houston is that this is a style that's been here since the '50s, and people are starting to respect the design of their '50s houses now,” said Ernesto Maldonado, a partner in Glassman, Shoemake, Maldonado/Architects and past board member of the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects. “People are always wanting to refine their spaces, and this offers a smooth look with clean lines.”

Doors range from $800 on up

The company was founded in California four years ago by one of Jacob's childhood friends. A longtime homeowner in Houston, Jacobs left a lucrative position as CEO of a logistics company to open its eastern region operations in Houston.

Products at his company range from $800 closet doors made of frosted glass or mirrors, to $1,500-and-up room dividers that stand 10 feet wide and 80 inches tall.

Customers can choose between using standard-size products that the company stores in its Houston warehouse — including closet doors, room dividers, cubicle walls and more — or choosing to create custom units, which require 10 to 12 weeks for delivery.

“We're very conscious of the fact that by the time someone receives an order, they've been waiting awhile, so we want everything to be perfect,” Jacobs said. “Our product is returned less than one percent of the time.”

Emphasis on quality products

While other companies make their sliding doors in Western Europe, which Jacobs said raises the cost, his company manufactures in Taiwan. He's quick to stress the company's emphasis on quality.

“We only use DuPont parts, and our glass is … thicker than most sliding doors,” Jacobs said. “It's also tempered — so even if kids run into it, it won't shatter.”

According to Jacobs, the Houston warehouse — which serves the entire company — uses two containers' worth of doors each month, but the Taiwanese production facility has the capacity to produce a container-full each day.

He plans to add three showroom locations this year, including in Washington, D.C., and Austin. The Houston showroom is on West Alabama off U.S. 59.

“Our storefront in Chicago is actually a three-story house decorated to look like a home, so people can get a feel for the doors in an actual house,” he said.

Looking at Boston, Philadelphia

For now, Jacobs said, the company is considering other markets where space is at a premium, including Boston and Philadelphia.

Sixty percent of the company's business involves residences, while the remainder is divided among offices, hotels and restaurants — “anywhere they need to divide a space with something that's functional, safe and easy-to-use,” Jacobs said.

While first-year annual revenues companywide ran $500,000 in 2006, last year's revenues hit $15 million, according to Jacobs. The company's Web site is www.txslidingdoor.com.